Slugburger at Hugh-Baby's
Pat Martin’s Hugh-Baby’s has turned a get-by staple into a treat. Every Friday, the Charlotte Avenue burger-and-barbecue spot serves up its ground-pork-and-soy-meal Slugburger. Slugburgers became popular during the Great Depression in Corinth, Miss., where one could be bought for a nickel (or “slug”). Hugh Baby’s fries their patties to a crisp golden brown and serves them on a toothsome bun, topped with diced onion, yellow mustard and dill pickle chips, just as Uncle Sam intended. Hugh-Baby’s version costs a bit more than five cents, but at $2.29, it’s still quite wallet-friendly. Fries and a fountain drink are $1.99 each, but you can add those and still get out for less than seven bucks. Another thing I like about Hugh-Baby’s is that while the portions are filling, their sandwiches aren’t so big that you might consider unhinging your jaw to consume them — a fact that helps me justify finishing off the meal with a shake sometimes. Add in the bustling diner atmosphere and management’s penchant for programming local rock faves on the playlist (the two times I’ve been, I’ve heard The Features and Glossary), and you’ve got a deal.
